Chapter 3: Woman in Doubt
by jjbenzix7
Summary: POI Love Story "Love In Numbers" Chapter 3: Woman in Doubt. In this chapter, Carter is forced to confront her fears and emotions. Her desires, passion, love and trust. She can no longer deny her feelings for Reese, no more than he can for her. There will be challenges ahead that will test their love and trust, and the bond they have developed between them.
1. Christmas Blues

_*A fan fiction story based on the Person of Interest characters. I own no copyrights to the characters or show. Thank you. Enjoy. _

* * *

**Fan Fiction Story: Love In Numbers **

**Chapter 3: Woman in Doubt**

**Episode 1: Christmas Blues**_ - Carter is preparing to join her family in Connecticut for Christmas. She has five days left to wrap things up. She meets up with Reese at the coffee shop, but he is not in a good mood. He is definitely not looking forward to her leaving town for the holidays. Hs emotions, the mixed signatures he keep getting from her, his passion and desire to love her, all are more than he can deal with right now._

* * *

**Love In Numbers**

**Chapter 3: Woman in Doubt**

**Episode 1: Christmas Blues**

The countdown to Christmas had begun. Carter has only five days left, to get everything done in time, before leaving for Connecticut to join her family.

The annual Christmas party at the Precinct is three days away, and despite being invited by several handsome police officers, she had not accepted any of the invitations, at least, not yet. Even Cal Beecher had asked her to attend the party with him. There was so many loose ends to tie up, Carter was not sure if she could make the party this year.

An unusually delightful Fusco caught everyone's attention. In three days, he would be heading home for the holidays. He was already sharpening his eating utensils for the big family feast. He could almost taste his mother's rack of lamb, shrouded with warm apple and lentil salad, wine-poached pears, and mostaccioli, his favorite chocolate spice cookies, among other mouth-watering dishes.

Fusco walked around humming Christmas songs, and flirting with female officers, placing mistletoe over their heads and stealing kisses. A few of them left their handprints on his jaw, a sure sign that they were not exactly thrilled with his kisses.

Carter could not believe her eyes. This was definitely not the Fusco she knew. He walked over to her desk and was about to hold the mistletoe over her head, when she put her arm up to block his.

_"Don't even try it lover boy"_, she smiled pushing his arm down.

_"Come on Carter, it's Christmas time. We need to spread as much love and cheer as we can, so how 'bout it?" _He leaned down near her face and patted his cheek with his finger._ "Come on…right here. Plant one right here on Uncle Lionel."_

He removed a small bottle of cinnamon scented breath spray from his pocket and sprayed his mouth. He tried her again with the mistletoe, and this time she allowed him to give _her_ a quick peck on the cheek.

_"I think you've been drinking too much eggnog, Fusco. You need to lay off that stuff. Some of it is lethal."_ Carter grabbed her coat and keys. She had a few errands to run.

_"Going somewhere Carter?_

_"Yeah, I've got a meeting with a CI. He says he has some information for me about that hit and run that happened two days ago, near Grand Central. You think you can cover for me until I get back?"_

Fusco gave her a quick wink and a smile. _"Sure, no problem"_, he said as he walked over to the table to pour a cup of black coffee, and try his luck a few more times with the mistletoe. She giggled after she heard the smacking sound of a slap coming from one of the female officers when Fusco tried to kiss her.

Carter drove away from the Precinct knowing that she was really going to check on the homeless. She hated telling lies to Fusco, but if he knew what she was doing, things could go sour, quickly. It was not that she didn't trust him, but there are too many crooked cops working in HR, and Fusco is an easy target. She just did not want to take any chances, especially jeopardizing the lives of the homeless.

During this time of the year, her schedule was packed, and she could barely find time to visit with the few homeless that were still around. In five days, she would be joining her mother, son and other family members for Christmas dinner, so today, she would make time to check on the homeless before she left town.

Carter did not realize that Reese was sitting across from the Precinct, watching her every move. He was adamant about keeping her safe, no matter the time and place, as long as he could see her, and see that she was safe.

He conspicuously followed her from one store to the next, and from the soup kitchens where they already had the food waiting for her to pick up. He watched as she removed blankets, bags of clothes and food from the back of her SUV. Some places harbored only a handful of the homeless, but she did the same for them, making sure that they had food to eat and warm clothes and blankets.

When she finished making her rounds, Carter stopped by her favorite coffee shop and ordered her usual cup of coffee, and a plain bagel. She thumbed through the morning paper as she nibbled on the bagel, waiting for her coffee to cool down a bit. This was the perfect spot for her, when she wanted to indulge in a little 'me' time. She did not see Reese drive up, as he parked on the other side of the coffee shop. He entered quietly and walked up behind her.

_"Your coffee's getting cold Detective."_

Carter knew who it was from the sound of his voice. She looked over her shoulder at him, as he walked around and sat across from her, with a slight smile on his face. She managed to crack a smile back at him, since this was suppose to be her 'me' time, alone.

_"Joss"_, he uttered quietly making it more personal.

_"John"_

They stared at each other for a few seconds both seemed to be at a loss for words. She wondered why he was there, and he wondered why she did not return his last call.

_"So, what do you think? Are you interested in joining our team, helping us out when we call on you?"_

_"I guess… but, I still need to know where and how you get your information, John."_

_"Joss, please…don't. I wish I could tell you, but I can't, not now. When the time is right, I'll let you know." _

She noticed that Reese was not his usual, sarcastic self today. By now, he would have fired off a few sex-laced quips. Instead, he looked sad and worried, detached from his emotions. A part of her wanted to grab him, hold him in her arms, and make whatever the hell was bothering him, just go away.

In her heart, she was admitting how much she wanted to see his soft, sexy smile. She wanted to hear him throw a sexy quip or two her way. She just wanted John back. The John she had come to really admire and enjoy, whenever they met up.

_"Are you…all right?" _she asked, looking up at him with doubt and confusion.

_"Yeah, I'm fine"_, he said as he tried to crack another smile, but nothing was there. _"Look, I think I'd better go. I've got some things to do."_ He got up from the table, gently touched her on the shoulder and left.

Carter was stunned at his behavior. Something was wrong. She left the shop without finishing her coffee and bagel. After she arrived back at the Precinct, she could not concentrate on her work. Her mind was racing, filled with thoughts of Reese, and the bewildered look on his face.

"_Had she said something she shouldn't have? _

_"Was he sick?" _

_"Maybe he was tired." _

Carter questioned herself so much she began to feel depressed. She could almost feel his sorrow, as if his pain was speaking to her, speaking to her soul, her heart, her mind. She grabbed her head and tried to shake off the emotions and feelings, but the anguish would not let go.

Meanwhile, Finch contacted Detective Fusco and told him to look inside the box that he sent to him at the Precinct. Fusco thought that it was an early Christmas gift, and was overjoyed. Once he discovered what was inside, he was not too pleased. A sticky note attached, instructed him to push the small red button to activate the cell phone.

Once he did, the phone connected to the Library control room, and directly to Finch line of communication. Detective Fusco was reluctant to answer the phone. He stared at it for about a minute, occasionally looking up and scanning the room, before finally answering the call.

"Hello"

"Detective. I see you've activated the phone I sent you."

"Geez…here I was thinking the dame upstairs had the hots for me. What the hell do you want?"

"I gather you've had time to mull over whether or not you want to join our little team. Help save the lives of innocent victims. If so, Detective, I'll be contacting you again soon, using this phone only. So, are you interested?"

Fusco thought about it for a second. "Why not? Hell, it's not like I got anything better to do than sit around this dump."

"_Good choice Detective, I'll be in touch soon."_ Finch disconnected the call feeling a bit skeptical, but pleased with the results.

Reese arrived back at the Library. He sat in a chair across from Finch, staring at nothing in particular. Finch could tell something was heavy on his mind. Whatever it was, had captivated his thoughts and consumed him.

_"How did it go with you and Detective Carter?"_ he asked, but received no response. _"Mr. Reese, I asked if everything went well with you and the Detective."_

Reese looked over at Finch with a dazed expression, and an equally dazed response.

_"Yeah…we ah, she…it went well. We had a, ah…we had a nice conversation. She's in."_

Finch knew something was wrong with Reese. His demeanor was far different than he had ever seen before.

_"Is there something you want to talk about, John?" _he asked with a personal affect, hoping Reese would feel more at ease and want to talk about whatever was bothering him.

He stared down at the floor rubbing his hands together. _"No, Finch, there's nothing I need to talk to you about. _

He learned months ago, not to push the issue. Reese had a direct way of inviting people out of his personal life. He said nothing more for a while, allowing him to have a moment to sort out his issues.

**Chapter 3: Woman in Doubt - Episode 2: In the Hearts of Men**

_Amid the anguish Reese is feeling, he finds out that Carter is the next number. With only a few days left before she leave for Connecticut, he must find a way to keep her protected until the threat has been lifted. During one of her routine check-ins with the homeless, Carter is not prepared for what happens next. Their strength is tested, and their hearts forced to confront deep emotions._


	2. In the Hearts of Men

_*A fan fiction story based on the Person of Interest characters. I own no copyrights to the characters or show. Thank you. Enjoy. _

* * *

**Fan Fiction Story: Love In Numbers **

**Chapter 3: Woman in Doubt**

**Episode 2: In the Hearts of Men**_ - Amid the anguish Reese is feeling, he finds out that Carter is the next number. With only a few days left before she leave for Connecticut, he must find a way to keep her protected until the threat has been lifted. During one of her routine check-ins with the homeless, Carter is not prepared for what happens next. Their strength is tested and their hearts forced to confront deep emotions._

* * *

**Love In Numbers**

**Chapter 3: Woman in Doubt**

**Episode 2: In the Hearts of Men**

An hour passed before Reese said anything. Finch watched him as he walked around the Library a few times, with seemingly, a lot on his mind. He watched as Reese walked back and forth, sometimes sitting, other times standing and leaning against the wall with his head lowered. Finch had never seen this side of him before, and wished he could say something, do something to help.

_"So, tell me, do we have a new number yet?"_ Reese asked.

Finch jumped from the sound of his voice amid total silence. He did not want to tell him about the number. It was someone they both knew. Finch was not sure how he would react. This was not going to be easy, no matter how he did it. He walked over to Reese and handed him the photo.

_"What's this?" _

_"This…Mr. Reese…is our new number."_

He snatched the photo from Finch hand. _"Please tell me that this is not our next number Finch."_ He stood up from the chair. A shocked expression devoured his face, and his knees buckled slightly.

_"I wish that I was wrong, John, but it seems, someone wants Detective Carter dead."_

The two men sorted through photos of people who might want to harm her. Everyone from wife beaters to crooked cops, wanted to eliminate the Detective. He watched Reese closely. Finch saw fear, concern and anxiousness in his eyes. There was definitely something emotional brewing. Reese grabbed his coat and headed for the door.

_"Mr. Reese, where are you going?_"

_"To find her Finch, I will not let anything happen to her, she means too much to me. Track her phone and send me her location." _

Finch was stunned at how bold he was about his feelings for the Detective. He called Reese and told him that she was still at the Precinct. He drove as fast he could to get there before she left, but by the time he reached the Precinct, Carter was pulling out in her SUV.

He followed her from one location to the next. It was almost eight o'clock. She pulled up to a local bar and went in. Reese followed her and sat a few tables over from where she was sitting next to a man at the counter. He tapped his earpiece to talk to Finch and listen to Carter's conversation.

_"I don't like this Finch. She's in a bar."_

_"What is she doing in a bar? _

_"It seems she's paying that guy, Eddie, a courtesy call."_

_"Well…you better be careful John. If you get in the way, you might get hurt."_

_"What the hell am I suppose to do Harold, let her catch a bullet? _

_"If she does, what will you do?"_

_"I don't know Harold. I'm sure you'll think of something."_

_"I don't understand it. Why would the Detective be intervening in a situation like that?"_

_"Maybe she's like us. Maybe she is trying to stop something bad from happening."_

Reese and Finch continued to listen to the conversation between Carter and Eddie. Reese could tell that she was very angry, from the tone of her voice.

_"What kind of degenerate puts his hands on his wife like that?"_

_"Listen Detective, what I do with my wife, is none of your damn business."_ The man took another drink from the glass, ignoring Detective Carter. Reese was prepared to intervene, if necessary.

_"That didn't stop you from boozing your life away, but if you put you hands on your wife again, I'm coming after you."_ Carter said with the sound of threat in her voice.

He stood in front of her, ogling her body. _"I'm a big man, and I've got a big gun. Believe me Detective, I'm not afraid to use it"._

Eddie had no clue that he had met his match. Carter stood up and stared directly at him with a damning, heated glare in her eyes.

_"A man who drinks as much as you do, I've got a feeling, it ain't that big Eddie"_. She retorted with coldness and walked off.

Reese could barely contain himself. His eyes lit up like a Christmas tree, and his smile was just as eluminating.

_"Dammit Finch, I like her style! She's my kind of woman!"_

Finch listened in awe of his choice of words, wondering what in the hell was going on with these two people.

Reese continued to follow Carter. Her next stop was under a bridge where a few homeless people usually staked refuge. He watched as she walked up to a man, standing alone beneath the bridge. There seemed to be no other people around.

She gave him a flyer with the name and location of shelters that were open, with rooms available for the night. Something did not feel right to Reese this time, but he had seen her do this many times before, and was not inclined to interfere with her work. He sat in the car for a few minutes keeping his eyes on Carter and the man as they continued to talk.

He watched as she walked to the back of her SUV and removed what appeared to be a blanket and food, and handed the items to the man. So far, nothing bad seemed to be happening. Reese decided to lean his head back, relax and wait for her to finish. After about twenty minutes, he could no longer see her anywhere in sight. He got out of the car and walked down the path toward her SUV.

He could hear people talking. As he got closer, he saw Detective Carter and the homeless man standing a few inches apart. The man had a knife in his hand, leaping forward, trying to stab her. Carter was begging him to put the knife down, telling him that he did not want to hurt her.

In a split second, Reese ran in front of Carter and pushed her behind him. He could see that the man was clearly high heroin or cocaine. He tried to reason with him and calm him down, but the man was acting erratic and hallucinating. He began to talk to Reese incoherently.

_"She's my fucking wife man. Look at her. Look at what she's done to me. Ask her, you ask her why she did this to me, my wife, she did this to me man. Ask her why she betrayed me. She has to pay man. She has to pay for her sins. You know what she did. That's why she has to die...now, she has to die." _

Without warning, he raced toward Carter with his arm in the air, and the knife in his hand. His eyes were cold and black, with no emotion. Reese strategically grabbed him and began punching him in the face, repeatedly.

Reese shook the knife from his hand, and kicked it over to where Carter was standing. She begged him to stop. Reese had almost beaten his face to a pulp, but high on drugs, the punches only seemed to stun him.

_"John!"_ she shouted, grabbing his arm and holding it with all the strength she had in her body. _"Please, don't. No more John, please, let him go."_

He looked at her with tears welling in his eyes. Her heart spoke to him. He eased his hand down and unclenched his fist. The man had his arms up over his bloody face. Reese looked at him, his eyes still filled with anger and rage. He shoved the man aside, almost pushing him to the ground, and watched as he scampered to his feet and ran off into the darkness of night.

Reese turned and looked at Carter. He held out his arms to her, and she fell into his body, burying her head in his chest. He held her tight, kissing the top of her head, and comforting her. They held the embrace for a few minutes, until he knew she would be all right, and able to drive home. Reese drove to where he parked his car, and followed her to the apartment.

Once inside, she called Detective Fusco and reported the incident. Carter told him that there was a possibility that the injured man might be at one of the local hospitals, receiving treatment. She avoided telling Fusco that she was the victim of the man's attack. She was thinking of Reese, and the fact that he is already wanted by the FBI and CIA. Instead, she reported the attack as a scuffle between two men, both fleeing the scene when she pulled up.

Reese smiled at her when she walked back over to the couch and sat next to him. He was worried that what happened could affect her emotionally. He wondered if this incident would deter her from reaching out to help other homeless people in need. Reese placed her hand in his and turned to face her.

_"Joss, are you going to be all right?"_ He could see the hurt in her eyes, the fear that had invaded the once caring gleam.

She smiled at him, trying to reassure him that she was going to be just fine. She was not going to let the shortcomings of one person, destroy her devotion to help others in need.

_"Now"_, she said as she slowly got up from the couch. "_How about a nice stiff drink to take the edge off?"_ She walked into the kitchen to fix the drinks.

_"Sounds good to me." _

Reese took off his coat and threw it across the arm of the recliner. He leaned back on the couch and waited for her to return with the drinks. They clank the glasses together, he took a few sips, and watched in awe as she gulped the Bourbon down quickly, emptying the glass.

He cleared his throat. _"Are you sure you're all right Joss? I mean…that was…quick."_ He was struggling to find the right words to say to her. He could see that she was not all right. Reese knew that he was going to have to find a way to get her to talk about what happened under the bridge. From his own experience, he knew that holding it in, was not the way to go.

Carter leaned her head back and closed her eyes. _"I just need a minute"_, she said. _"Just a minute."_

**Chapter 3: Woman in Doubt - Episode 3: Two Heartbeats**

_As Carter grapple with what happened beneath the bridge, Reese feel the need to stick around to make sure she is all right. Knowing how passionately she feels about the homeless, he can see the disappointment in her eyes. The desire they both harbor for each other, comes to full fruition in a night filled with emotion, uncontrollable passion and unstoppable pleasure._


	3. Two Heartbeats

_*A fan fiction story based on the Person of Interest characters. I own no copyrights to the characters or show. Thank you. Enjoy. _

* * *

**Fan Fiction Story: Love In Numbers **

**Chapter 3: Woman in Doubt**

**Episode 3: Two Heartbeats**_ - As Carter becomes emotionally unglued from what happened beneath the bridge, Reese has to find a way to convince her to deal with her emotions head on. Soon, the passion they both harbored for months, comes to full fruition in a night filled with throbbing, burning passion and love, uncontrollable tears, and unstoppable ecstasy, enhanced by lustful desires and demand._

* * *

**Love In Numbers**

**Chapter 3: Woman in Doubt**

**Episode 3: Two Heartbeats**

He watched as her eyes fluttered beneath her shaded lids, as if they were fighting against the thoughts racing in her mind. She was showing hints of vulnerability he had never seen before, not like this. Reese wanted to pull her close to him and engulf her in his arms. He wanted to make her feel protected, let her know that she was not alone, and never will be.

_"I'd better go get out of these clothes"_, she said as she got up and walked toward her bedroom. _"Make yourself comfortable. I need to take a shower."_

Reese could see it in her eyes. Carter did not want to deal with what had just happened to her. He could feel the strength of the man as he fought with him. He was not questioning her ability to fight back, especially with her combat and law enforcement skills. He was aware of the fact that she could take care of herself, but he had seen some of the best of men taken down, beaten, shot, killed, and deprived of the very essence of their power, manhood, and strength.

He knew that had he not been there, as strong as the man was, there was no way she would have been able to keep him from stabbing her or worse. As a Detective, her pride was crushed and he could see it in her eyes. Reese knew that he would have to approach the conversation carefully, and get her to understand that she did what she needed to do to keep from being raped, or even worse, killed.

As time ticked by slowly, Reese called Finch and filled him in on everything. It seems the threat was no longer viable for Carter. After Finch told him that there were no new numbers, he poured himself another glass of Bourbon. He could hear the water running in the shower. She had been in there for almost an hour.

An uneasy feeling swept over him as he walked slowly down the hall, turned to the left, and stood in front of the bathroom door. He tapped lightly on the door. _"Joss, are you all right?"_ he asked, but she did not answer. He could still hear the water running, and he was about to walk away, when he heard whimpering sounds echoing from the crack beneath the bathroom door. He turned the doorknob, but it was locked. Reese pounded on the door with his fist, calling out to her.

_"Joss! Answer me. Are you all right?" _

He pressed his ear to the door, and this time he was not mistaken. He could hear her crying. Reese stood back, and with force, rammed his shoulder into the door as hard as he could, knocking it loose from its hinges. The door flew open and the effects of what happened that night, was staring back at him.

Carter was lying on the cold, tiled floor, beneath puddles of water. Her wet, naked body, curled in a fetal position. She was shivering from the coldness in the room. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her.

Panicked, he picked her up in his arms, carried her to the bedroom and laid her on the bed. Reese climbed in bed next to her and wrapped his arms around her shivering body. With his back leaning against the headboard, he pulled the covers up over her body, and held her in his arms.

Her hair was dripping wet, with clusters of loose curls masking her face, neck and shoulders. He gently rocked back and forth, whispering softly to her that every thing was going to be all right. He did not care that his shirt was soaking wet, or that she was naked, except for a wet towel wrapped around her body. He just wanted to comfort her, let her know that he was there, as long as she needed him, he would always be there for her.

It was almost midnight, and Carter had fallen asleep in his arms, with her head resting comfortably on his chest. Reese did not want to wake her. He placed his hand on her head, and fingered her curly hair, twirling locks around his finger. It was so beautiful.

He realized that beneath the tough cop image she so often portrayed, was a curly-haired little girl, with a need to hide her emotions. He continued to twirl her hair with his fingers, pulling up piles of curls and slowly releasing them, watching as they bounced around her face.

_"I hope you're having fun with my hair"_, she said.

His hand paused in mid air. He leaned his head back, smiling broadly. _"I couldn't help myself." _

_"Don't stop now. That feels good."_ Her head was still on his chest, her face turned away from him.

Reese grabbed handfuls of her curly hair, lifting it and letting it fall back down around her face and across her shoulders. She had pushed the covers off her body, and he could see that the towel no longer covered the bottom portion of her completely. The rims of her round, firm ass were visible.

He fought back the urge to ease his hand down and trace the outlines of her globes with his fingers. She moved her body, the muscles in her thighs tightened and her hard nipples rubbed against his ribcage. He could feel the rippling effect of shivers invading his body.

_"Goddamn it"_ he thought, as his penis began to throb, _"This is too damn much for me to handle"_.

He was glad that she decided to sit up and lean back next to him. A few minutes more and he would not be able to control his needs. Fucking her would be the only option. She laid her head on his shoulder, and took his hand in hers.

_"Thank you"_. She said softly as she looked up at him.

_"For what?"_

_"For being here for me."_

_"You're welcome. I'd do it again if I had to."_

_"I know you would."_

The room was quiet. Neither of them had much to say, as they searched for words. He resumed fingering the curls in her hair, trying to control the urges boiling inside of him. He ran his fingers across her forehead.

The room, dimly lit from the lights glowing outside along the sidewalk, gave it a haunting, illuminating glow. His eyes roamed up and down her body. Her soft, beautiful, caramel color skin glowed with perfection. _She could not be any more beautiful than now_, he thought, with drumbeat throbs hardening into an erection.

He felt as if he had known her for a lifetime. She was so right for him, so comforting to be in the midst of, because she cared so much for others. He was attracted to her from the very first time they met, despite both of them trying to deny their feelings, he would never have imagined, months ago, that he would be lying next to her, holding her, touching her soft body.

Reese knew that he was falling for Carter and he was tired of pretending. Tonight, somehow, he was going to show her just how much he love her, just how much he need her, want her, desire to make love to her. The sound of her voice quickly startled him from his thoughts.

_"I'm hungry, what about you?" _she asked casually.

He was hungry all right, but not for food. _"Sure, what do you want? I'll run out and get something for us",_ he said, sitting on the side of the bed.

_"No, I was thinking of sharing a turkey on rye sandwich with you, and a little wine to wash it down. I've got everything we need to prepare it…game?"_ She smiled at him as she sat on the side of the bed, the towel outlining her body.

_"Hell, why not, I'll go get started."_

Reese walked out of the room giving her a chance to get dressed. He could tell that she was not really trying to get rid of him. He would rather have spent the night rolling around on the bed, thrusting himself deep inside of her, but once again, they let the moment slip past them.

He looked at his watch as he entered the kitchen. It was a little after midnight. Usually he would be somewhere punching someone's lights out, but not tonight. Instead, tonight, he was in the apartment of a woman he deeply admires, making a turkey on rye sandwich.

The very thought of the two scenarios, in comparison, made him laugh out loud, as he removed all of the necessities needed to make the sandwich. He whistled joyously, trying to mask the throbbing in his pants, and trying to forget just how close he came to making her scream his name in ecstasy.

A few minutes later, Carter entered the kitchen wearing a blue satin pajama set, that snuggly fit her body, outlining every curve. Her curly hair cascaded across her shoulders and midway her back. Reese almost dropped the jar of olives he had in his hands.

His eyes became fixated on the sexy curves of her body. The button front pajama top was only held together by three buttons down the center of the shirt. He could easily see the outlines of her round, firm breasts, peeking from the shadow of the shirt. The outline of her ass, and the peaks of her hardened nipples, took full control of his mind.

_If she was going for sexy, goddamn it, she succeeded_, he said to himself, wrestling to regain control of his thoughts, unable to control his erection, and not really trying to anymore.

Reese could not take his eyes off Carter as she reached up and removed two wine glasses from the cupboard, and placed them on a tray. She might as well have been naked. The silhouette of her body was on full display, and his eyes were taking it all in.

He watched nervously as she removed a bottle of **Ravenswood 2008 Old Hill Zinfandel** wine, given to her as a gift, when she returned from Afghanistan. She kept it for more than ten years, and knew that one day, it would come in handy, and for some reason, tonight just seemed so right.

Carter walked over to the table where he was standing, still holding the jar of olives. _"Here, let me finish this, you take care of the wine"_, she said, as she finished preparing the sandwich.

Reese could hardly move. She could have anything she wanted from him right now, he did not give a shit. When she brushed up against his arm, he could smell the beautiful lavender and jasmine scents she loved so much. The aroma was intoxicatingly seductive. His hands trembled as she placed hers on his to remove the jar of olives.

_"Why is she doing this to me?"_ he asked himself, sauntering over to the counter to prepare the glasses of wine.

Carter skillfully sliced the sandwich in half, skewered two olives onto toothpicks, and stuck one on each side of the divided turkey on rye. She placed the sliced sandwich onto a plate, grabbed a few napkins and walked into the living room. The man in him could not help but stare at her ass and everything else that was on display.

Now that she was in the living room, he could focus on the wine. He picked up the wine bottle and for the first time saw, and read the label, _"Ravenswood 2008 Old Hill Zinfandel, wow, one of my favorites."_

He inserted the corkscrew, and with a quick twist and pull and pop, it was ready. The sweet smell and aroma of summer berries, currant, and deep spice flavors, wrapped in thick tannins, gave him a tingly buzz. Reese could almost feel his mouth puckering.

As his grandfather use to say, _"A great wine is like a beautifully, aged woman, both deserve respect, and should only be slowly sipped and enjoyed with tremendous pleasure. There is no need for chasers or dilution, just the enjoyment of succulent flavors and aftertaste." _

_"How's it coming in there?"_ Carter asked, sitting on the couch in front of the table where she had placed the sandwich. He was lost in thoughts for a moment, but quickly regrouped.

Reese walked into the living room carrying the tray of drinks and wine, and sat them down next to the sandwiches. He picked up a glass of wine and handed it to her, she nodded gracefully, and he picked up the other glass. They clank the glasses together, and took a sip, both smiled pleasingly.

_"Wow, this is good"_, he said.

The rich, exotic flavors did not disappoint. The smooth flavor excited his palate and stimulated his senses with pleasure. He took another sip and bit into the evenly halved sandwich she had given him.

_"Not bad Joss. Where did you learn to cook?" _he asked jokingly.

She looked over at him, smiling. _"I see you've got jokes"_. Her hair fell down around her face as she reached down to pick up her sandwich and took a bite.

The two of them finished the sandwich and were on their second glass of wine. They were both feeling very relaxed. It was almost one o'clock in the morning, but they were enjoying each other company. He leaned back on the couch staring at her as she raised her legs and tucked them beneath her body. They talked for another half hour, and had almost finished the bottle of wine.

Reese drank the last sip from his glass and sat it down on the table. Carter had already emptied her glass. He looked over at her and she was staring at him, smiling seductively. If he was feeling the effects of the wine, so were she, and he saw it in her eyes.

Carter eased over next to him and laid her head in his lap. She reached for his hand and placed it in her hair. _"Play with it again"_, she said softly, stimulating his desires. He lifted handfuls of curls and let them fall freely around her face, something he was beginning to enjoy.

_She was so damn gorgeous_, he thought as he continued playing with her hair. She was lying on her back with her eyes closed. God, he did not want her to fall asleep. Reese outlined her jaw line with his fingers, and gently outlined her earlobes, her chin and lips. He would do whatever it took to keep her awake.

She opened her eyes, looked up at him, and their eyes locked with heated desire. He leaned down and kissed her softly. This time she wanted him to kiss her. She allowed him to explore her lips with his mouth, as he kissed and sucked her lips from bottom to top. Tonight, she wanted him as much as he wanted her. It just felt right.

She raised her body up to equal his, the firmness of his grip in the center of her back told her that she was in safe hands. He cupped her into his arms as his hands slid beneath her shirt, fingering her breasts, and teasing her nipples as she moaned and trembled from his tender touch.

He leaned back as she straddled her legs across his lap and began kissing him wildly, stealing his strength as he lost all sense of control. He could feel her naked body beneath the satin pajamas. She felt so damn good.

Carter stood and removed her pajama bottoms. Her caramel skin glistened and craved to be touched. He could feel his erection growing, thickening, throbbing for release from the encasement of his pants.

He ran his hands over her soft ass, gripping it tightly. She reached down and unzipped his pants, pulling them off, along with his silk black boxers, throwing both to the floor. She wanted him naked. She wanted to feel his skin against hers.

He slowly unbuttoned her shirt, and watched as her firm round breasts bounced freely from the grip of the satin clinging to her body. They were as perfect as he had imagined. His hands cupped each breast tightly, as her soft whimpering moans gave him permission to explore more.

He kissed them, licked them, and with the tip of his tongue he circled her nipples, as she moaned seductively in his ear. He knew that he was going to make her his tonight. There would be no pulling back. No pause, no denying him the pleasures of her sweet juices. He was prepared to take her if he had to. He needed her, wanted every inch of her body, and yearned, painfully, to be inside of her.

His erection throbbed and grew hammer hard as she eased down onto it, encaging every inch of him inside of her. She moved up and down on him slowly, watching as his eyes roll back into his head from the sensation of her hot juices saturating his manhood. She was everything he dreamed she would be, and more.

Reese knew that she was just as determined to make him hers tonight. His body felt like butter over a hot stove, as she moaned and whispered his name, pleading for him to make her feel every inch of him. There was no turning back this time. They were both giving in to heated passion and desires they longed to release.

He took a breast into his mouth, teasing the nipple with his teeth until it was hard. The more he sucked, the faster she moved up and down on him, filling her insides with the thickness of his erection. He could see the thick, milky-colored cream of his semen, mixing with her juices as he churned inside of her.

She was on fire with passion, igniting every inch of his body as it ached for more. _Shit it felt so damn good to be inside of her_, he thought to himself. She had weakened him with lust, passion, and love. He was hers to do with as she pleased.

Joss was giving all of herself to him, and he knew that after tonight, he could never love another. If she could read his mind, she would know that his heart belonged to her now. The desire in him was uncontrollable. Nothing could stop him.

They both moaned from the sound of their juices saturating together. He ejaculated his creamy thick semen inside of her, inducing multiple orgasms from her body, as it trembled, trembled, trembled uncontrollably with total ecstasy. She screamed loud, mixed with moans and grunts, begging him to fuck her again, she wanted more.

Reese could feel her thighs tighten with each orgasmic spasm. She sucked on his lips like a lollipop, pulling them apart, and then releasing them, outlining his mouth with her tongue. God she had him on fire. She completely captivated his heart and soul, and took full control of his mind, possessing him with dangerous levels of jealousy. His skin burned with desire. Her love was powerful and addictive. She belonged to him now.

Before the ecstasy of the moment faded, the passion reignited in them, as he thrust his rock hard erection inside of her again. She begged and moaned for more. He jerked his hips and pounded his manhood inside of her with unapologetic force, over, and over again, making her scream out his name. Deep grunts echoed from his throat as he felt the flow of her hot juices saturating his penis.

She moaned softly as he pumped inside of her. She could feel his penis throbbing against the walls of her vagina. Joss buckled from the pleasure shooting down her spine as she kissed him passionately, twirling her tongue in his mouth, allowing enough air to seep in with invigorating coolness. She knew that she had taken control of his heart, and he allowed her to.

_"Dammit John,"_ she said, as she dug her nails into the flesh of his back. It was his turn to take back control of her thoughts, her mind and body, and he was going to make sure she knew it, could feel it, every fucking inch of his thick, hard penis. The room was chilly but they only felt the heat and passion as the slippery feel of sweat oiled their bodies.

The moment of erotic pleasure inched closer to release, with massive pulsating and throbbing, until both screamed, their bodies shaking with passion as he buried his face between her breasts, her hands tightly gripping his head. She could hear him crying softly. She slowly pushed his head back and kissed him tenderly.

He tried to speak through tears of raw, unscripted passion, gasping for air. _"Oh, God…Joss…what…what have you…why have you…Joss…why have you done this…to me…I love you so much…I…." _

She kissed him tenderly again, to confirm her love for him. She was about to get up, but he pulled her back down onto his lap. The seductive way she moved her body, the way she moaned, the way she whispered his name each time he sucked her nipples, was dissecting his soul from his body. He could not get enough of her.

Her hair fell down around her face and his. He cradled her in his arms and kissed her with fiery passion, as if he was demanding her to surrender fully to him. He wanted her to know that he was not through with her yet, and she knew it.

Joss stood, took his hand and led him to the bedroom. Neither one of them wanted to talk. He picked her up in his arms and they kissed tenderly. He gently laid her onto the bed and crawled on top of her. Reese pinned her body to the bed with his, and pinned her arms up over her head with his hands.

She wiggled but could not move, as he nibbled at her nipples, sucking her neck until it burned, marking his territory. He did the same to her breasts, sucking them until they burned. She allowed him to explore every inch of her body with his tongue, trembling at the touch of his erection rubbing against her.

He could feel the reverberation of her body trembling, and it ignited the fire burning out of control inside him. His eyes fell upon the tattoo around her hips. He paused, briefly, wanting to explore it. _"Damn that's beautiful"_, he whispered.

He trailed the tattoo with his fingers. Realizing that there was more, Reese flipped her over onto her stomach and discovered angel wings in the lower part of her back. It was sinfully sexy and seductive to him, driving him insane with lust, and a strong desire to fuck her.

He had made sweet, passionate love to her earlier, but now he wanted to fuck her, hard and long. He wanted to hear the sound of their bodies slapping together as he banged her hard. He straddled her body, and continued to stare at the sexy angel-winged tattoo.

Reese slid his arm beneath her waist, and lifted her ass up to his hips, penetrating her from behind, as he thrust himself inside of her quick and hard, giving her no time to question what was happening. She screamed from the quick burning sensation of pain, gasping for air, but her scream was replaced with quivers and moans, as he ran his fingers up and down her spine, tenderly moaning, tenderly kissing her back and ass, whispering how much he love her.

Joss could feel the thickness of his rock hard erection as it encaged her completely. He slowly stroked in and out, oiling his penis with her juices, until there was no more pain. He leaned forward, their bodies perfectly kneaded together, and slid his arm beneath her.

Reese grabbed her breasts, teasing her nipples with his fingers, as he continued to stroke slowly in and out, both moaning erotically in ecstasy of how good it felt. How sinfully good and virgin-like it felt to be the first to fuck her there.

The warmth of her juices enhanced his erection. The saturation confirmed the depth of their passion. It felt so good, she began to weep, entrusting him with her body as it became limp, and collapsed down onto the bed, both giving way to the release of full-throttled ejaculation and orgasm.

He rolled her over onto her back and leaned down beside her. She was crying and telling him how much she loved him. He kissed away the tears that were rolling down her cheeks, knowing that he had demanded control of her body, and she completely surrendered it to him, allowing him to take full ownership, not allowing her to deny him the pleasure of passion, as it captivated their hearts.

Reese held her in his arms, as she continued to cry. The certainty of their love for each other was undeniable, no matter what the outcome may be, tonight, they had become as one. She had managed to awaken a fiery passion inside of him that no other woman had ever done before, sadly, including Jessica.

They laid there engrossed in the passion and love they had shared, until the dimness of early morning light illuminated throughout the bedroom. He held her in his arms as she comfortably placed her head on his chest. He played with her hair, kissing her face tenderly. She looked up into his piercing, sexy blue eyes.

_"Do you want to talk to me now?" _

He stared at her, smiling in satisfaction of having just fulfilled a moment he longed for, from the first time their eyes met.

_"I love you so much, Joss."_

She inched her face up to his, and they kissed long and passionately, as he ran his hand up and down her back, grabbing her ass and squeezing it tightly.

_"I love you too." _she said laying her head back onto his chest.

Neither of them wanted to do anything else today. They wanted to savor every second of the time they were sharing together. There was no way she was going in to work, and neither was he. Calls were definitely going to be ignored, and they did not care, as long as they could spend the day together.

Joss thought about John and Christmas. She did not want to go to Connecticut, and leave him alone, not after the night they had spent together. She decided to talk to him about it later, but for now, she could feel his erection growing again as he rolled over on top of her and began to stroke in and out slowly, heated with seductive moans and kisses.

After making love, the two of them took a shower together, and made love again, as the steamy hot water drizzled slowly over their bodies. Finally, they were able to pull away from each other, get dressed, and prepared breakfast together. They sat close at the dining table, kissing in between feeding each other bits of scrambled eggs and bagels topped with sour cream and juicy red strawberries.

Once they finished eating, the two of them snuggled on the couch, kissing and enjoying each other's company. With her head in his lap, her hair still damp from the shower, she looked up at him.

_"We still have not talked about what was bothering you yesterday morning John. Something heavy was on your mind. What was it?"_ She asked.

_"I was thinking selfishly that morning Joss. Knowing that you would be joining your family for Christmas, I guess I really didn't want you to go. Somehow, just knowing that you are around and I can see you…I…I don't know…" _

_"And now?"_ She asked as she traced his lips with her finger.

_"Now what?"_

_"How do you feel about me joining my family in three days?" _

_"I don't know Joss…to be perfectly honest babe, I don't want you to go, but I don't want you to stay because of me either." _

_"Then, come with me"._ She said, staring at him as she got up and looked into his eyes, pecking his lips and cheeks with sweet kisses.

There was nothing he would love more than to go with her, but he felt that showing up like that, could pose a problem with her son, if not everyone else, and that was too risky for him. He love her and want to be a part f her family, but only if they do things right.

_"Do you want to go with me?"_ She asked again.

_"Joss, babe, I can't do that to your family. They are expecting you to come alone. I think your son will accept me better if you talk to him about me first. If I go there with you, without anyone expecting me, there will be mixed emotions from some, and I don't want that. I love you, and I want to be a part of your family." _

_"Maybe"_, she said rubbing his chest. _"It's just that, I don't want to spend another day without you."_

_"Nor I you babe. I don't know how I'm going to get through Christmas without you being here. Sure, I have Finch to hang out with, but he's sort of boring, and he's not that great of a kisser, you know what I mean?"_ Reese said, both laughing.

Joss pinched his ribcage and he pretended it hurt, _"Ouch", _he said as they cuddled and kissed a little longer, savoring every moment of their time together. It felt so good, so right, so real.

_"So, how long are you going to be there for the holidays?"_ He asked.

_"One week."_

Reese sat up straight. He was not expecting her to say a week. _"Are you serious?"_

_"Well…I didn't exactly have a crystal ball to look into and predict that we would end up in bed together, confessing our love for each other, so, I was not thinking on the lines of you and me when I made plans. I decided, a week of vacation time, would be good for me. I could relax and catch up on some reading, while I'm away from the job and this apartment."_

John got up from the couch and walked over to the window, staring out at the snow-covered ground, bushes and trees. Joss walked over and stood behind him, with her arms wrapped around his waist, and her head resting on his back.

_"You sure you don't want to come with me?" _

_"I don't know babe. I could maybe wing it for two or three days, but seven days, without you near me Joss, I don't know if I can get through it._ _Maybe you should leave the address with me."_

He could easily have Finch track her down for him, but for now, this was a chance at normalcy. Everything about last night, and today, made him feel normal again, even asking her for the address.

_"You're welcome to crash here, if you want to, just don't roam through my lingerie drawers and go all freaky on me."_ She giggled at the thought.

John turned to face her. He leaned down, kissed her passionately, picked her up in his arms and within minutes, they were in bed making love again. His desire and passion for her clouded his judgment and thoughts. All he wanted to do was make love to her. Hold her in his arms. Tell her over and over again, how much he loved her.

Later that night, around ten o'clock, the two of them sat in bed talking. They wanted to know everything about each other. They talked past midnight about everything they could think of. Old boyfriends, girlfriends, and past lovers were on the table. They talked about their likes and dislikes, favorite movies, foods, desserts, cities. Everything was open for discussion.

_"Joss, I meant what I said last night."_

_"What's that?"_She asked, her head resting on his chest.

_"I promise and vow to you, right here, right now, that I will never love another as long as you're in my life." _

Joss looked up at him and smiled at how sweet the words were. _"Same here"_, she said, not really taking his vow seriously. Although, the more she thought of it, the more uneasy she felt about it. This was the second time he had said that to her.

_Maybe she was reading too much into it, _she thought_, after all, it had been a long time for both of them, and maybe, amid the passion, this was just his way of expressing how much he love her._

Joss brushed it off and cuddled closer to him, but his vow to her was real and it was sacred. John stared out of the window into the darkness. She, of all people, should know that he was one to keep his promises.

**Chapter 4: Rules & Consequences - Episode 1: All I Want for Christmas is You**

_Carter has only two days left before joining her family for Christmas in Connecticut. She still has not finished shopping for gifts. As if that was not enough, she accepted an invitation to the Christmas Party at the Precinct. Cal Beecher was more than persistent, and promised, no strings attached. It was harmless, as far as she was concerned, but not so much for Reese, who had overheard their conversation. _


End file.
